Patient Instructions are the documents you send patients around an appointment: how to prepare, what to expect, and what to do afterwards. Write one once and attach it to a service; every patient booking that service gets it.
Navigate to Patient Instructions in the sidebar (/dashboard/patient-instructions).
Writing an instruction
- Click New instruction
- Give it a name
- Write it in the editor — the same rich editor the chart uses, so headings, lists, images and smart blocks all work
- Save
An individual instruction opens at /dashboard/patient-instructions/:id.
Instruction steps
The Instruction Step block turns an instruction into a sequence a patient works through rather than a wall of text — one step at a time, in order. Insert it with / like any other block.
Attaching to a service
Each service carries two slots, configured under Before and after the visit:
| Slot | When the patient gets it |
|---|---|
| Pre-instructions | Before the appointment — preparation, fasting, what to bring |
| Post-instructions | After the appointment — aftercare, warning signs, follow-up |
See Rooms & Services for the rest of a service’s configuration.
How patients receive them
| Route | How |
|---|---|
| Patient portal | Under their visit, at /portal/instructions/:id |
| Messages | Attach an instruction to a message thread |
| Embed | Embed an instruction in your own website at /embed/instructions/:id |
The portal and embed views are read-only. Patients cannot edit an instruction; they read it.
Instructions vs charts vs forms
Three things that look similar and are not:
| Thing | Direction | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Instruction | Clinic → patient | Something to read and act on |
| Form | Patient → clinic | Something to fill in and submit |
| Chart | Clinic → record | Clinical documentation, patient-visible only if you say so |
Tips
- Write aftercare once and attach it to the service, rather than pasting it into a message per patient. It is the single highest-leverage thing on this page.
- Use Instruction Steps for anything with an order to it — a dressing change, a tapering schedule, a return-to-activity plan.
- Embed your general pre-appointment instructions on your own site and link to them from your booking confirmation.